Making Those Hard Choices
Defining Adventure
Old Mr. Webster has three slightly different variations for the definition of adventure.
1) an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks
2) the encountering of risks
3) an exciting or remarkable experience
4) an enterprise involving financial risk
Sounds like life to me.
John Muir is quoted as saying, “The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.”
Combine the thoughts of John Muir and the wisdom of Merriam Webster and I believe I have the description of what Augie’s Adventures is to become: a record of exciting experiences involving a certain level of risk.
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
But here is where it gets tricky, we often think that for an adventure to be remarkable and full of risk it has to involve far off lands, remoteness, wild animals ready to attack and such. I contend, as I’m learning, that adventure by definition is often found in many forms within our daily lives. Or it can be if we take those steps required to fully experiencing life. As I believe God has intended for us.
Since returning from Alaska, I have been commuting 85 miles in each direction to my new job. The days were extremely long and stressful. I soon found myself in a routine of driving, working at the desk and sleeping. No weekday hours remained for me. Weekends became lazy and fitting in life’s chores between TV programs. This was not working.
On the return from Alaska, I had resumed residency in my peaceful and quiet rented house trailer on an acre of woods. I enjoyed the surrounding woods with its’ sounds of song birds, roaming deer, and scampering squirrels. I enjoyed the telling of the weather with the sound of the rain tapping on the metal roof. I enjoyed the morning view of freshly fallen snow covering the trees and forest.
Those cold crisp snowy morning of Carroll County will be missed.
However, I had stopped experiencing the wonders of my home because of the commute. It had become just a bed for sleeping, too far from where I spent my days. I was wasting over four hours a day traveling the traffic jammed roads between Carroll County, MD and Washington DC. So, I took on an undertaking that involved unknown risks and found myself on an exciting or remarkable experience; an adventure. I moved to the city.
Adventure is Making the Most of What Life has to offer
Moving to the city, or more directly, Old town Alexandria, VA may on the surface sound like an anti-adventure for someone like me who lives and breathes all things out of doors. But in fact the first two weeks have turned out just the opposite.
My New home
I can view the Potomac River out my apartment window. I have tossed the kayak into the river for an evening paddle from the parking lot of my apartment. I have ridden my mountain bike along the woods and marsh lined hiker / biker path that travels passed my apartment and along the Potomac River.
Life is full of adventure in many forms. If we so choose to reach out and take that risky first step. How long will I remain living in the city? How will I like living here after a year or so? How will I handle living in a small studio apartment? How will I learn to balance going back to Carroll County on the weekends? I can’t give you those answers, as with any adventure, the outcome is uncertain, and that is exactly what makes life an adventure to be experienced and not watched on TV.
